Soybean growers ‘concerned’ about rural council review

Reacting to House Republicans establishing an E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council rather than passing a law allowing the sale of E15 nationwide all year, American Soybean Association President Scott Metzger said Monday the ASA “appreciates the continued work of the House of Representatives to champion domestic biofuel production, but the broad latitude provided to the E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council creates new threats to programs U.S. soybean farmers rely on to advance the production of soy-based fuels.”

“ASA supports the sale of year-round E15 but is concerned about the council’s review of longstanding bipartisan policies that promote the production and consumption of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and other biofuels derived from soybeans,” said Metzger, an Ohio farmer.

“Congress and members of the council must guard against all efforts that seek to weaken the Renewable Fuel Standard and other policies U.S. soybean farmers rely on for domestic market demand,” he said.

“The open-ended directives of this council create a dangerous precedent that threatens the foundation of the U.S. biofuel industry. The council should not open 25 years of RFS program success during only a few weeks of review.”

“Instead of studying biofuel policies with longstanding proven success, Congress should be working with the administration to ensure the swift finalization of 45Z tax guidance, robust RVOs, and finalizing EPA’s proposed rule to give preference to domestic feedstocks and fuels,” ASA added.

“The work of the E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council cannot distract from getting these policies across the finish line.”

-The Hagstrom Report